A PLANNING inspector has agreed with a council’s decision to refuse permission for a housing estate because it only offered a fraction of the affordable homes required.

Northumbrian Land was refused outline planning permission by Hambleton District Council for a housing and business development at White House Farm, on the outskirts of Stokesley in April last year.

The plans went to appeal and were considered at a planning inquiry which concluded earlier this month.

The inquiry looked at whether the proposals supplied an adequate amount of affordable housing and enough open space and recreational facilities.

Of the 193 homes Northumbrian Land Ltd was proposing to build, between 15 per cent and 20 per cent of them were to be affordable.

But Hambleton District Council wanted about 50 per cent of the homes to be affordable, to meet local need.

Planning inspector Kath Ellison upheld the developers’ appeal against the decision to refuse planning permission for the business area, as she said the employment development was in keeping with planning policies.

But Ms Ellison dismissed their appeal over the council’s refusal of permission for a housing development.

In her conclusion, she said the council had based its estimation on the need for affordable homes in the Stokesley area on recent local housing need surveys, the current housing waiting lists and homelessness records.

In her report, she stated: “There is good evidence that the level of need is no less pressing today and, indeed, that the provision of affordable housing is strongly supported by the local community.”

Northumbrian Land had argued that significantly less affordable housing was required because it was creating employment units and providing nearly 50 per cent was not viable.

But in her report, Ms Ellison neither of these arguments could justify the proposal, saying the developers’ appraisal had made “unduly generous allowance for contingencies and professional fees” and also appeared to “overestimate the economics of providing affordable housing units”.

Chairman of Stokesley Parish Council, Councillor Andy Wake said: “There’s a definite lack of affordable housing and starter homes in Stokesley which needs to be tackled. It’s quite a good decision.”

The Northern Echo was unable to contact anyone from Northumbrian Land Ltd to comment on the decision.